Power-operated log turner with fulcrum stop



Oct. 13, 1953 D- C. RICHARDSON POWER-OPERATED LOG TURNER WITH FULCRUMSTOP Filed April 12, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l 5m 3 M w hr 1 If. A Q u I a mm a 9 m a m a W.. W m M m. w fi u. d W90 lflwfiwlwl I II I (x/ W T, Y Q-M\ l V f H I ,l n H v Q M u v A D- C. RICHARDSON POWER-OPERATED LOGTURNER WITH FULCRUM STOP Filed April 12, 1951 Oct. 13, 1953 2Sheets-Sheet 2 as M 33 FIG.6.

H3. INVENTOR. DOW C. RICHARDSON 7 III Patented Oct. 13, 1953 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE POWER-OPERATED LOG TURNER WITH FULCRUM STOP Thisinvention relates to a power operated log turner, and is acontinuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 148,794,filed March 10, 1950.

The present log turner is generally similar to that disclosed in myearlier application but is of a more simple construction and developsmore power than the earlier turner.

The unit comprises a supporting frame, a nigger bar movable verticallyand oscillatively respecting the frame, a stop carried by the nigger barfor limiting the upward vertical movement of the bar and functioning asa fulcrum point for the bar, a cylinder operatively connected with theframe and the nigger bar, means to admit a medium into the cylinder foractuating the piston therein, and means to removably secure the teeth tothe bar for repair or replacement purposes.

By virtue of the power unit, it is possible to load the log from theskid or deck onto the carriage, turn the log to any desired position onthe carriage to hold the log in proper place for dogging, to move thelog back to the blocks, and also shove the blocks rearwardly, and placethe log in proper saw line to make the next cut.

The advantages flowing from the use of the turner are the low operatingand maintenance cost, the simplicity of installation in all types ofmills, either stationary or portable, the time and labor saved inworking on the logs, and the fact that it can be efiiciently operated byunskilled personnel.

While the turner is preferably operated hydraulically by employing oilas a fluid, the unit may employ either steam or air, but in suchsituation, the size of the valves and cylinder will have to be adaptedto meet the specific pressure used. Oil is more desirable since it ischeaper and can be employed under more varying operating conditions thanwith any type of power and, in addition, provides more positive actionand presents no problems from the freezing point of view.

The various objects and additional advantages of the inventive conceptwill be hereinafter more fully apparent, and the log turner consists inthe details of construction and in the arrangement and combination ofparts to be later more completely enumerated and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawings form- 'ing part of this application wherein likecharacters denote corresponding partsin the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, partly in section, illustratingthe turner in its forward position beneath the skid and its relation tothe log carriage.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation, partly in section, showing theturner in its position under the skid.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the turner, partly broken away,the nigger bar and cylinder being shown in their forward position infull lines and in their back position in broken lines with the toe ofthe stop in contact with the limit plate on the frame.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3, theview looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 4 butbeing on a somewhat larger scale.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the turner shown in Figure 3, the brokenline positions being omitted, and r I Figure '7 is a sectional viewtaken along the line 'l! of Figure 3, the view looking in the directionof the arrows and being on a somewhat larger scale. Y

Referring to the invention generally, there is shown in Figure 1, a logcarriage I0 of any suitable type moving along rails ll, floor I2 of thesaw mill, a well or pit I3 disposed below the mill floor and inproximity to the carriage track, and log turner Ill disposed within thewell or pit I 3. While I have shown the log turner being used with aground hog" type of mill, it is, of course, to be understood that it canbe used with any type of fixed or portable mill, and in these lattersituations, it is not necessary to locate the turner within a pit or thelike except in situations where the clearance between the floor of themill and the ground level is not sufficient to accommodate the turner.

The turner It includes a pair of spaced apart channel-bars l5 disposedwith the flanges thereof facing each other, the lower ends of thechannel bars being welded or otherwise attached to a base plate l6. Athird channel bar I1 is similarly afflxed to the opposite end of thebase plate and extends upwardly therefrom at an angle, as clearly shownin Figures 1 and 3. The upper ends of the respective channel bars aresecured to spaced angle irons I8 and one end of each of the angle ironsis attached in any convenient manner to a laterally extending angle ironl9. The opposite ends of the angle irons ID are welded or brazed to aplate 20, and a stop plate 2| is secured to the flanges of the channelbars immediately below the plate 20.

Hence, it can be seen that an elongated vertical slot is providedbetween the channel bars, and a horizontally disposed slot is defined bythe angle irons and the plate 20.

The nigger bar includes a pair Of spaced parallel plates 22 and thelower ends of the plates are anchored to a base 23, and the overallwidth of the bar' is slightly less than the width of the vertical slotdefined by the flanges of the channel bars. A fulcrum plate 24 is sacured to the lower flat face of the base 23 by a bolt 25 tapped into anopening in the plate 24. As perhaps best shown in Figure 5, theperimeter of the fulcrum plate conforms to theconflguration of thechannel bars and is spaced slightly inwardly of the inner face of thechannel bars.'

The bottom edge of the forward end of the plate 24 is chamfered as shownat 26, while the top edge of the rear end is chamfered as at 21 forclearance purposes, and, of course, the plate serves to prevent thenigger bar from leaving the frame and guiding the bar properly along thechannel bars.

A resilient bumper or pad 28 is applied to the lower face of the plate24 and is secured to the plate by a pair of bolts 29. The bumper, ofcourse, will absorb the shock imparted to thebar when it hits the baseplate It, as will later be more fully described.

Of course the upper ends of the plates 22 are suitably secured and aplurality of teeth 38 are pivoted intermediate the plates 22, as shownat 3|. Pins 32 extend laterally of the bar at points below the pivots 3|in proximity to the front edge of the plates to limit the downwardpivotal movement of the teeth 30. Inorder to permit each tooth 31] to bereadily removed for either sharpening, repair or replacement, it will benoted that each pivot pin 3| and that area of the bar 22 in proximity tothe opening in the bar for receiving the pin is formed with a tappedopening 33. A screw 34 is threaded into the opening 33 which, of course,locks each end of the pivot pin to each plate 22. To replace the pin 31and its tooth, it is merely necessary to remove the two screws 34whereupon the pin and tooth are withdrawn from the bar.

A stop 35 is welded to the inner faces of the plates 22 a short distanceabove the base 23, and the forward end of the stop projects forwardlythrough the vertical slot a short distance beyond the channel bars, asclearly shown in Figure 3'. This stop will limit the upward movement ofthe nigger bar by striking the plate 2! and will also function as afulcrum point in a manner to be hereinafter more fully described. Inorder to minimize shock when the bar is in the back position, a rubberpad 35 is attached by bolts or the like to the vertical flange of theangle iron l9.

To impart the necessary movement to the nigger bar,v a cylinder 31 ispivotedto a pair of cars or lugs 38 carried by the base plate l-6-. Theupper end, of the cylinder is provided with a packing gland 39 ofconventional type, and piston rod 40' carrying piston 41. is pivoted tocars ll extending rearwardly from the plates 22 at a point adjacent theupper ends of the plates. The lower end of the cylinder is provided withspaced ports 43 and 44, the port 43 being connected with port 45 inproximity to the upper end of the cylinder through a conduit 45. Theports 43 and lead toa four way valve (not 4 shown) through ducts 41 and48 Oil or other fluid is supplied to the conduits from any suitablesupply source and the four-way valve may be controlled by any suitablemeans such as that shown in my co-pending application Serial No.148,794.

While the operation of the turner i generally similar to that shown inapplication Serial No. 148,794, the present turner is of simplerconstruction and develops considerably more power which is due to thestop 35 and the manner in which the stop cooperates with the frame.Also, the location of the pivot point of the cylinder 3-1 to the baseplate iii of the frame and the connection of the piston rod to thenigger bar provides for proper balance of the moving parts in order toprovide an emciently operative mechanism. It will be appreciated thatwhen the nigger bar is within the frame, and assuming it to be in theforward position, manipulation of the control member for the four-wayvalve to admit fluid into the lower end of the cylinder will raise thebar upwardly respecting the frame to permit a log on the carriage to beturned by the teeth of the bar. The bar can be held at any desiredposition by the operator. When fluid is admitted into the upper end ofthe cylinder, the bar can be pulled to its back position in proximity tothe channel bar H, at which time the upper end of the bar will be belowthe deck or skid shown in the broken lines in Figure l and can beoscillated or moved forwardly by the operator to roll. or move the logfrom the deck onto the carriage. The stop 35 functions in effect as achangeable fulcrum and the higher the nigger bar is raised, the greaterthe leverage against the log as thrust to turn or hold the log on thecarriage is effected. It is believed that the broken line position shownin Figure 3 serves to illustrate the proposition and, in addition tothisfunction, the stop 35 will also limit the upward vertical movement ofthe bar when the-stop engages the plate 2|. When the bar has beenmanipulated to move the log onto the carriage III, the additiona1 forceor power which is developed is utilized to shove the blocks on thecarriage rearwardly, h

The bottom end of the bar has a sliding motion, which is a fulcrum,allowing the bar to oscillate in and out as the log rolls over, applyingpressure as log rolls back against head blocks, also holding log inproper place for dogging, and stopping log at proper place for next cut.Hence, it is possible for one cylinder to carry out the motionnecessaryrto handle logs properly.

It is believed obvious from the foregoing that the hydraulicallyoperated unit quickly and effectively loads the log onto the carriage,turns the log to the proper position for dogging, holds the log and canmove the log back to the blocks, as well as driving the blocksrear-wardly, and place the log in theproper saw line for the next cut.

This invention is not to be confined to any strict conformity with theshowing inthe drawing, but may be changed or modified so long as suchchanges or modifications mark no material departure fromthe salientfeatures of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apower operated log turner for sawmills comprisin a frame fixedlysecured to the sawmill floor and extending downwardly from the floor, anigger bar having pivoted teeth slidably and oscillatably mounted to theframe, a power cylinder pivotally connected to the frame in spacedrelation to the bar, a pivotal connection between the piston rod of thecylinder and the nigger bar in proximity to the upper end of the niggerbar, valve means to control the flow of fluid into and out of thecylinder, a control lever for actuating the valve means, and a stopelement carried by the nigger bar extending in the direction of the saidteeth for limiting the upward movement of the nigger bar respecting theframe, and also functioning as a changeable fulcrum for the bar.

2. A log turner as claimed in claim 1 wherein a resilient block issecured to the lower end of the nigger bar to absorb the shock of thenigger bar.

3. A log turner as claimed in claim 1 wherein said stop element issupported by the nigger bar adjacent the lower end of the said niggerbar and extends perpendicularly to the nigger bar.

4. A log turner as claimed in claim 1 wherein said frame comprises apair of spaced vertically disposed channel bars mounted with the flangesfacing each other, a base plate secured to the lower end of said channelbars, another channel bar secured to said base plate and extendingupwardly at an angle therefrom, a pair of spaced angle irons secured tothe upper ends of said channel bars, and transversely extendingsupporting elements connecting the free ends of said angle irons.

5. A log turner as claimed in claim 4 wherein a plate element issupported by the lower end of said nigger bar, the plate element beinglocated between said channel bars to guide the nigger bar along saidchannel bars.

DOW c. RICHARDSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

